


heart sold separately

by slashedsilver



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Angst, Fluff, Humor, Hurt, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-02 01:09:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2794277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashedsilver/pseuds/slashedsilver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hakyeon finally gives in and places an order for a CARE Bot 2.0, the outcome is entirely different from what he's imagined.</p><p>[A robot AU.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Сердце продаётся отдельно (heart sold separately)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3427145) by [EllenSon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllenSon/pseuds/EllenSon)
  * Translation into Tiếng Việt available: [[TRANS] heart sold separately - Trái tim tách rời](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7938700) by [DestinySVN](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestinySVN/pseuds/DestinySVN)



> ~~This will quite simply be called my Steel Heart!AU until a more fitting name shows up.~~ [This is Steel Heart](http://www.last.fm/music/VIXX/_/Steel+Heart). Thanks to the wonderful [alesserrain](http://alesserrain.livejournal.com), this fic now has a title!
> 
> Many, many thanks to Ellen who [translated it into Russian](http://ficbook.net/readfic/2930059/7745869)!

When Hakyeon finally gives in and decides to place an order for a CARE Bot 2.0, it's strictly out of necessity.

"I can't keep cooking and cleaning for you," Wonshik says severely. "It was fine when we were dorming together, but now you're a grown man. You need to learn how to take care of yourself. Or marry someone who will."

Hakyeon sulks. "Will you marry me, then?"

A magazine hits the side of his head and falls into his lap. "I already have Hongbin."

"I could be your bit on the side," Hakyeon offers hopefully. "I'm sexy and lovable and I won't complain if you need to do the dirty with Hongbin."

Wonshik just gives him a stony stare.

"Oh fine," Hakyeon grumps, starting to leaf through the magazine that was tossed at him. "Way to make me feel undesirable."

His best friend's gaze softens. "You know it's not like that at all."

"Or I can just pay someone to do it for me," Hakyeon barrels on carelessly, before -- God forbid -- Wonshik says anything _more_. "Look!" He stabs a finger at the open magazine in his lap. "They've come up with a new version of the CARE Bot. Maybe I'll get one of those." 

Wonshik cranes his head to look at the glossy advertisement, sliding his spectacles up his nose to take a better look at it. "Hmm," is all he says as he runs an eye over the specifications. "Upgraded systems, fully customisable, newly installed with AI-7 -- wow, that's a self-developing AI! Didn't Jaehwan get himself one of those, the last time? A CARE Bot 1.2, wasn't it... But this one is almost revolutionary in its design..."

Hakyeon waits. After twenty years of friendship, he's learned to differentiate when Wonshik is talking to him and when he's in engineer mode, working something out for himself. He leans back on the sofa and puts his feet in Wonshik's lap, watching his friend with amusement as he reads. 

It's too bad that Wonshik is finally moving out -- but he's found Hongbin, and as much as it's been convenient for them to share a house (ever since they wound up as unexpected roommates during their Academy days), Hakyeon won't stand between his friend and lifelong happiness. Even if he no longer believes in it himself.

"You know what?" Wonshik says finally, pushing his glasses back up onto his head. "This CARE Bot thing actually might work."

Hakyeon's face breaks into a wide smile.

~*~

AT3019-75 arrives three days later. He's beautiful, even more handsome than Hakyeon could have anticipated. Sure, when he filled in the form, he checked the boxes next to his preferences (height: above average; looks: superior), but to see his CARE Bot 2.0 in the flesh...

"Delivery for a Mr Cha Hakyeon," his bot announces when he opens the door. "May I verify your order, please?"

Hakyeon is staring at his bot with his mouth half-open. Silky dark golden hair, check. Broad shoulders, a deep, penetrating gaze and the voice of an angel. He's tall, slightly taller than Hakyeon, with long slim legs and a solid, comforting sort of presence. He's _perfect_.

His bot clears his -- its? -- throat. "Mr Cha Hakyeon. I would need to verify your order, please."

Hakyeon shakes himself. "Ah -- of course, um. Here you go." He extends his right hand towards his bot, who takes his thumb and presses it against a scanner. Two affirmative beeps and one electronic signature later, the scanner is kept away.

"Delivery complete. The warranty is valid for one year from date of purchase. It covers all damage from natural disasters, software malfunction or physical defects that may be incurred by your CARE Bot during this period. Should the CARE Bot be deemed irreparable, you may request for a replacement or a full refund." 

When no further information appears to be incoming, Hakyeon clears his throat awkwardly. "Er. Would you like to come in?"

"That would be nice," his bot responds politely, and he bends over to remove his shoes. His slacks tighten as he moves, revealing the lines of a perfectly firm and nicely rounded butt. Hakyeon gulps. They surely did manufacture them well nowadays.

In an attempt to divert his attention elsewhere, Hakyeon blurts, "How often do I need to bring you for your upgrades? My friend Jaehwan has a CARE Bot too, and his version needs to be updated every month or so." He attempts to make a carefree laugh. "Technology, honestly..." 

His bot stares impassively at him and Hakyeon backpedals hurriedly under that gaze. "Not that I've got any problem bringing you out, of course, I just need to know in advance so that I can borrow a car -- "

"My AI is fully functional and self-developing," his bot interrupts before Hakyeon can get overly worked up. "There will be no need to send me for regular upgrades, unlike the earlier versions."

"...What does that mean?" Hakyeon says blankly. In his defense, it _is_ eight-thirty in the morning.

A small smile quirks up the corners of his bot's lips. "It means I am wired to continually learn from experiences. In a way, you can think of it as an automatic upgrade." The smile turns predatory. "There is no limit to the things I can... _learn_."

Hakyeon swallows and presses himself against the open door. "This way, please." His voice comes out strangled.

His bot gives him another small smile -- Hakyeon is beginning to think of it as his version of a smirk -- and sidles past him into his apartment. He comes a little too close, brushing against Hakyeon's arm as he goes in. Hakyeon forgets to breathe.

Wow. His bot is _awesome_.


	2. Chapter 2

"And here's the living room... It's a little small, but it's cosy." His bot looks a little too big for his apartment, Hakyeon thinks dazedly, or maybe it's just his aura that appears to suck in all the available air.

He feels a little awkward bringing his bot around his tiny, messy flat but the other just walks placidly behind him, silently taking in Hakyeon's old pillows, the couch with the spring that has come loose and the cups of instant ramyeon which litter the floor. 

Hakyeon follows his gaze to the empty cups and is compelled to say, "Er. I haven't really had time to cook."

"Or clean, it would appear," his bot notes. "But this is what you have purchased me for." He studies Hakyeon's face. "You are embarrassed."

"What?" Hakyeon blurts, ready to deny it even as his face goes red. "Why should I be embarrassed?"

"Because even though I am just a bot, you feel ashamed that your house is in such a condition," is the blunt reply. "Don't worry, I can fix this easily. You will no longer need to feel ashamed."

Hakyeon scrubs at his burning face. "Did I just exchange one annoyingly perceptive best friend for another?" He stabs one finger at his bot. "And do you all not have filters on your mouths?"

His bot ignores him in favour of peering at the kitchen island behind him. "Is that your kitchen? It's very clean."

Hakyeon buries his face in his hands.

"Yes," his bot says decisively, walking towards the kitchen, "and it is well-equipped. I will be able to work with this." He looks at Hakyeon and his lips twitch. His expression is completely guileless as he asks, "Have you ever used it?"

"Are you teasing me?" Hakyeon says suspiciously. "I'm not so sure I ticked "cheeky" when I was filling in the order form."

His bot smirks. "Yes, but you did ask for the Emocodex to be installed. That enables me to experience the entire range of human emotions. One pleasant side bonus is the development of a complete and coherent personality."

Hakyeon scowls at him. "I'm regretting it already."

His bot's expression is blank when he speaks. "If you do not find me satisfactory, you can always make an exchange at no extra delivery cost within the first 30 days of purchase -- "

"It was a joke," Hakyeon says hastily. "What would they do to you if I sent you back, anyway? Scrap you down into spare parts?" 

The silence tells him all he needs to know. Hakyeon shivers and hurriedly changes the subject.

"And this is -- god! Mimsy, what have I told you about springing up on people like that!" The cat appears out of nowhere and makes a dash for his bot, sidling up and rubbing herself against him, purring loudly all the way.

"Oh?" Hakyeon observes. "She likes you." 

A sudden change seems to have come over his bot, and his expression is wide and open as he bends down and gently rubs Mimsy's head. She arches happily into the touch and mewls even more loudly. He laughs, an unexpected, delighted sound. "I like her too." He straightens up and dusts his hands off. "In fact, there are many things I like about this place."

His gaze doesn't waver from Hakyeon's.

Hakyeon feels his heart skip a beat.

~*~

"Good morning, Master Cha Hakyeon. It's time to wake up."

Bleary with sleep, Hakyeon's brain notes absently that he's changed his alarm ringtone. Which idol's greeting message did he set for this week? It has such a pleasant smoothness to it. 

"Master Cha Hakyeon? If you keep sleeping you're going to be late for work."

It also sounds like it's coming from his very own room. How amazing that technology has developed to such a point where the virtual is seeming more and more like reality. It even comes with a warm hand to shake his shoulder and turn him over so that he's blinking into dark brown eyes...

"Eaughhh!" Hakyeon shrieks, grabbing his sheets and trying to salvage what's left of his dignity. His mind races frantically, trying to catalogue the damage. How much is he wearing? Are his pyjama pants on? Where did his shirt go? What made him think it would be a good idea to sleep in _boxers?_

His bot stares impassively back at him, seemingly uncaring that he's just thrown Hakyeon into full panic mode.

"What are you doing in here?" Hakyeon demands, clutching his blanket to his chest.

"I'm waking you up," his bot explains patiently. "Your work starts at eight and it's already seven-fifteen."

"You can't just -- barge in here like that! What if I had been doing... other things?"

"What other things could you have been doing?"

Hakyeon goes red. "You know... other stuff."

"I don't -- "

"Anyway!" Hakyeon interrupts hurriedly. "From now on, you have to knock before you come in. Don't just waltz in here when I'm sleeping. And don't call me Master," he adds belatedly. "You sound like a butler from the 19th century."

"Of course, Mr Cha Hakyeon."

"No -- " he feels the beginning of a headache coming on. "Could you just call me Hakyeon?"

"Of course, Hakyeon."

Ten minutes later, he's showered and changed and sitting down sheepishly at the dining table, feeling somewhat apologetic for his outburst in the morning. His bot seems unperturbed by his antics, busying himelf in the kitchen instead. There's an incredible smell coming from the stove where the sound of a pot is bubbling.

"Do I own a pot?" he wonders aloud.

"Yes, several. You also have a saucepan, an oven, a mixer, and various juicers and blenders." 

Wonshik's doing, of course. Hongbin turned him into such a health nut.

There's some clinking of crockery in the kitchen, and then a stone bowl of kimchi stew is placed in front of him. It's hot and piping and the smell of kimchi is wonderfully tart and sour and all Hakyeon can do is stare at it in wonderment. After breakfasts of cold yoghurt, buttered bread and muesli (the easiest to prepare), a hot breakfast is beyond his wildest dreams.

"It was all you had in the fridge," his bot says reprovingly, scooping out a neat bowl of rice and setting it down in front of him. "Next time, I'm going to do the shopping for you. You're also out of side dishes so you'll have to to make do with rice."

"This is incredible," Hakyeon says hoarsely, shoving a chopstick of rice into his mouth and stuffing the kimchi in as well. "Thank you."

His bot looks pleased. 

It's slightly awkward tucking in while his bot stares at him unblinkingly from the other end of the table, seemingly catalouging his responses, but he's easily distracted by the stew which is hands-down the best kimchi jjigae he's ever tasted. Soon he's slurping up the last of the soup (he gives the edge of the bowl one last longing lick) and setting his chopsticks on the empty bowl.

"I will clean up," his bot assures him, handing Hakyeon his briefcase.

"Thanks," he says reverently, still thinking of the kimchi. "It was fabulous." 

His bot dimples.

He follows Hakyeon to the door and watches as he puts on his shoes. "Well," Hakyeon says uncertainly, straightening up. "I'm off to work now."

"Have a great day, Hakyeon," his bot says.

"You too -- " Hakyeon falters when he realises his bot still doesn't have a name. "What should I call you?"

"My serial number is AT3019-75."

"I can't call you that," Hakyeon says, aghast. He racks his brains for a name. "You can be Taekwoon, then," he decides. "That's the name of my best friend from kindergarten. We lost touch when he moved to America. But you've both got that serious, distant thing going on."

His bot -- Taekwoon -- raises an eyebrow. But he looks proud to have been given a name. "Go well, Hakyeon."

"See you, Taekwoon."

Hakyeon bends to pick up his briefcase, and when he stands again, he's surprised by a soft kiss to the side of his face. Involuntarily, his hand goes up to cradle his cheek.

He probably stammers something, but all he can think about on his way to work is the memory of the kiss and Taekwoon's smile, small and inviting, just before he leaves.


	3. Chapter 3

They settle easily enough into a routine.

In the morning, Taekwoon knocks politely at Hakyeon's door and waits for an answering grunt to issue from the bedding before he moves in, swift and silent, to gently shake Hakyeon out of sleep. Once Hakyeon realises he's more effective than his phone (and the five other alarm clocks he has scattered around his room), he appoints Taekwoon as his official alarm and teaches him how to say [mushy one-liners](http://slashedsilver.tumblr.com/post/105943808340/hellomyaplus-i-dont-care-if-you-get-up-or) to wake him up in the morning. (Taekwoon does it only with great reluctance.)

When Hakyeon comes out of the shower, Taekwoon always has breakfast waiting on the table. After seeing how successful the kimchi stew was with Hakyeon, Taekwoon adds even more Korean dishes to his repertoire. (He's also stocked up enough side dishes to feed an army.)

Hakyeon leaves for work at seven thirty. Taekwoon insists on giving him a good-bye kiss at the door. (Hakyeon suspects Taekwoon just likes seeing him go red.) He usually spends his days at work thinking about what Taekwoon might doing to his house this time and comparing his take-out lunches he buys from the staff canteen with the meals he gets at home (they don't even compare).

He's never been so punctual about leaving the office before, but the thought of getting back to a home-cooked dinner and Taekwoon's small smiles spurs him on. ("So the way to Cha Hakyeon's heart is through his stomach." "Shut it and let me eat.")

After dinner, they usually sit on the couch together. Hakyeon likes to put his feet in Taekwoon's lap or lean against Taekwoon's arm as he fiddles with his phone or read a book or talks about the next horrible thing his boss did and Taekwoon would listen. The television could be off or it could be on or they could be listening to one of Hakyeon's many jazz albums or K-pop albums (his guilty pleasure). Sometimes Taekwoon would sing along and leave Hakyeon mesmerised with his voice. Sometimes, when Hakyeon is feeling particularly inspired, he gets up and dances to the music. Just a little. Taekwoon's eyes always go dark and quiet when he moves, fixed on his body and absorbing every step. At the end of it, when Hakyeon is flushed and panting, he would pour Hakyeon a glass of water and watch silently as he drinks it, eyes unwavering. (Hakyeon tries not to do this too often. It leaves him more breathless than he would care to examine.)

Sometimes, when Hakyeon is too tired, they sit quietly until he dozes off. Taekwoon is especially gentle then, and Hakyeon never notices when he's carried back to his room and tucked into bed.

At night, after he waits for Hakyeon to turn in, Taekwoon goes to sleep in what used to be Wonshik's room. ("You sleep?" "More like rest." "And recharge your batteries?" "I don't have any.")

His apartment is spick and span. His fridge is stocked to overflowing with fresh fruits, vegetables and side dishes. Mimsy is pleased to have someone else who obviously adores her as much as Hakyeon does, but who can actually spend most of his time at home feeding and petting her (which is the most important thing, clearly).

There are times when coming back to Taekwoon makes Hakyeon feel like he's coming back to someone special, who always has a light on for him and a hot meal waiting. There are times when Taekwoon looks at Hakyeon with a mix of fondness and exasperation when Hakyeon says something silly, and he smiles back, warmth in his belly. It feels like coming home.

It's almost too easy to forget what Taekwoon is. And Hakyeon has never been good at remembering.

~*~

It happens on one of those nights.

They're sitting together on the couch, pressed up against each other because Hakyeon has never bothered to get one that could actually seat two people instead of one and a half. He's practically half in Taekwoon's lap already but he doesn't think Taekwoon would mind. He never protests at Hakyeon's proximity, just adjusts so that Hakyeon can plant himself against him more comfortably like he would a particularly large bean bag.

Hakyeon is squirmy, especially fidgety because he's looking at recipes and getting excited about which one he wants Taekwoon to cook next. Taekwoon makes long-suffering noises but there's a small smile on his face that tells Hakyeon he doesn't really mean it.

"How about this one?" he says, sprawled out over Taekwoon, head against the arm of the couch. "I like jjimdak."

"You like everything," Taekwoon points out, eyes focused on the book he's reading. He turns a page.

Hakyeon pretends he can't hear him. "You should cook it with curry! And maybe you add plenty of carrots and potatoes and _onions_ , one can never go wrong with onions. Oh," he says, as the thought occurs to him, "I also loved the pickled cucumbers you made last Thursday. Any chance of getting them with more spice, though? They lacked a bit of... oomph."

"Anyone would think I'm feeding a pack of hungry wolves," Taekwoon says, lightly hitting Hakyeon's knee in admonishment. 

"Nope," Hakyeon says proudly, "just one." He flounces over into Taekwoon's lap so that he can flash him his most winning smile, face angled up towards the other. He doesn't realise that he's jostled his recipe book to the floor in his movement, or that Taekwoon is about to lean over to pick it up. So when Hakyeon appears suddenly, Taekwoon is already bending over. Which is how they end up, closer than they've ever been before. 

And neither of them are moving.

At the back of his mind, Hakyeon is vaguely conscious that Taekwoon's artificial body heat is burning his side and his own heart is beating rapidly, blood thundering loudly in his ears. But he can't move -- his eyes are caught in Taekwoon's gaze. It's hot, hotter than he's ever seen it before and Hakyeon can only stare helplessly back.

"Hakyeon," Taekwoon breathes, voice soft and hypnotising. Carefully, as though afraid to startle a skittish animal, he moves slowly closer. "May I...?"

Hakyeon wets his lips and Taekwoon's eyes follows the movement. He feels dizzy; Taekwoon is so near, face inches away from his own, watching him as though he's someone precious to him, someone incredibly treasured. Something thumps hard in his chest.

"Yes," he whispers, and closes the distance between them.

Taekwoon's lips are soft, so soft. Hakyeon opens easily under them, like petals opening for the sun.

~*~

"And how is your newest acquisition treating you?" Wonshik says with a grin. They were meeting for dinner at Hakyeon's favourite ramyeon place -- one of the first nights he's eating out instead of at home. Wonshik signals an order for two drinks and turns back to smirk at Hakyeon. "Jaehwan tells me it can be quite the experience, being on the receiving end of a CARE Bot's care."

Hakyeon chokes on his noodles. "What -- " he says hoarsely, "what sort of care are we talking about here?"

Wonshik looks momentarily confused. Then he hits Hakyeon, a scandalised expression on his face. "What sort of care are _you_ thinking about here?"

Hakyeon goes red. "Er..."

"Don't answer that." Wonshik grabs the bottle of soju that the waitress has set on their table and pours it into two cups. "I'm going to pretend I never asked." He grabs the cup in front of him, clinks it perfunctorily against Hakyeon's, and downs its contents in one shot.

"Get off your high horse," Hakyeon says crossly, though his heart is beating rapidly. He picks up the other cup. "It's not like you don't know what everyone else is using their CARE Bots for."

"Of course I do!" Wonshik exclaims. "Cooking, cleaning and companionship!" He hums the advertising tune.

Hakyeon looks at him askance. "It's been twenty years and I still can't figure out if you honestly don't know or if you're just pretending to be that pure."

Wonshik bats his eyelashes, the picture of absolute innocence. "So do you honestly not know or are you just pretending to be that noble?"

Hakyeon glares. "If you're asking if I have used the bot I bought -- " (Wonshik sniggers at the unintended pun, because he really is twelve years old) " -- to cook and clean and do everything my best friend used to do for me -- if you're asking if I have used this bot for sex -- which," Hakyeon holds up a finger, because it's important to clarify, "by the way, I can easily get at any bar -- then the answer is no." 

He drains his cup for emphasis, ignoring the phantom tingle in his lips. It was just a kiss, he argues with himself. _Wonshik would never let you live it down if he found out._ And so he won't, he assures himself.

"You're really worked up," Wonshik observes. "I don't think I've heard you use so many run-on sentences before. In fact, I don't think I even know what you're trying to say anymore."

Hakyeon scowls and pours himself another finger of soju.

"So your intentions towards your bot are completely pure," Wonshik continues doggedly, because one of his worst habits is that he never knows when to stop pursuing a topic. "Your fully customised bot, programmed for your needs, everything you ever asked for -- "

"Is it even possible to have intentions towards a bot?" Hakyeon interrupts, irritated at Wonshik's words. "They're robots. We're human." Because obviously he'd remembered this important fact when Taekwoon was inhaling his lips last night. _Shut up,_ he told his brain.

"You'd be surprised." Wonshik takes another swig of soju before he sets his cup down on the table and leans forward, dropping his voice low. "My colleague, Sunggyu, got himself one of the earliest functioning models. It wasn't even as advanced as the models you get now. So it only had all the basic stuff -- cleaning, preparing meals, giving hugs and talking to its owner. But Sunggyu was lonely, and the CARE Bot was there. And before he knew it... _bam!_ " Wonshik bangs his right fist on the table and Hakyeon nearly has a heart attack.

"What happened?" he whispers fearfully.

"He fell in love." Wonshik's expression is grave. "He made the mistake of forgetting that what he bought was just a robot." 

Hakyeon thinks of Taekwoon's small smiles, the warmth in his eyes when he looks at Hakyeon, the way he breathed in sync with Hakyeon as they stared at each other just before they kissed. His heart goes cold, like it's a warning.

"And now we have to remember that yours," Wonshik continues, oblivious to Hakyeon's distress, "that robot you have -- it's way more advanced than Sunggyu's. And you..." He gives Hakyeon a tender look, and when he speaks again, his voice is gentle. "You are even lonelier than Sunggyu ever was."

It's too much. He's crossed a line. 

Hakyeon's anger surges in response, forgetting that they were talking about Taekwoon. "I'm _not_ lonely," he says fiercely. "I am not."

"I worry about you, Hakyeon," his best friend says honestly. "You haven't the same since -- " His voice breaks off at the warning in Hakyeon's expression, daring him to say it. Wonshik changes the subject. "And I can't be there for you so often anymore," he finishes instead. 

There's an apology in Wonshik's eyes. Hakyeon looks stubbornly back, refusing to acknowledge or admit anything. He hasn't thought about it in months. He was healing, wasn't he? Why did Wonshik insist on digging up the past?

Wonshik sighs when Hakyeon doesn't say anything. "Just be careful, and don't do anything you'll regret."

Hakyeon downs the last of the soju in his cup and stands up. "Stop worrying, Wonshik." His voice is brittle. "I know my limits."

"Of course you do." Wonshik drops some won on the table and gets up as well. "Want a lift home? I'm calling a cab."

"No thanks," Hakyeon says. "I need a walk. Some fresh air."

Wonshik's eyes narrow but he doesn't challenge it. "Don't go home too late."

They part ways at the subway station.

Hakyeon walks into a club.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long it took for this to be put up! I've been having some insecurities about my writing and I kept fiddling with this chapter (and the next) trying to decide if I was happy with it. Hope you're all still enjoying the fic :)

There's nothing here but cheap booze, the smell of stale cigarettes and too much smoke, and bodies writhing against one another, searching for release. It's a temporary distraction, but Hakyeon will take what he can get.

"Back again, hyung?" Sanghyuk calls from behind the bar. "Want your usual?"

"Sure. Thanks Hyuk." Hakyeon snags one of the seats near the bartender.

Sanghyuk was born with a perpetual baby face, with edges that appear too soft and cute for a place like this. But Hakyeon knows that he's tough, tough as nails. He has to be, having dropped out of school early and juggling a variety of jobs to earn his keep. Even knowing Sanghyuk for three years, Hakyeon has no idea how old he really is -- it's a secret he keeps close to his chest. "Otherwise they won't keep me employed here," he likes to joke, eyes bright.

Hakyeon's seen him grow cold when brawls start, stepping in and disarming guys twice his size with a few well-placed moves. He's seen how he handles his customers -- rowdy, bored, broken-hearted, disillusioned -- with a deftness and maturity that belies his baby face. He takes care of them when they get too drunk, too tired to go back on their own safely. He arranges for taxis, friends to pick them up, and in Hakyeon's case, a safe place to sleep off the alcohol.

Hakyeon hates to think that he's depending on someone else _again_ , but when he gets flat out drunk and his legs are too wobbly to take him home, Sanghyuk lets him sleep in the room just above the bar and doesn't tease him when he wakes up with a pounding headache. He remembers the first time Sanghyuk ever let him crash in that room. He wishes he didn't.

"Here you go." Sanghyuk sets a glass in front of him, glinting gold with dark liquid.

Hakyeon downs it before he can stop him, ignoring the way the alcohol burns a stripe into his stomach. "Another."

"Geez, hyung," Sanghyuk says, sounding a little scared. "I didn't give it to you so that you could pour it down your throat like that."

"Another," Hakyeon insists. He pushes the empty glass back to him. Sanghyuk takes it reluctantly. Hakyeon leans his back against the bar table and closes his eyes.

A heavy bass beat starts in the club and a dark, pulsing sensation comes over him. Hakyeon is drawn by the rhythm. He lets his feet lead him to the floor, feels his hips sway to the song. His body is moving, fluid and sensual, eyes half-lidded, absorbing the music. 

Hakyeon is a different person when he dances. He knows it. He knows how effortlessly captivating he can become. And on a night like this, when he doesn't want to think about anything else -- he revels in it.

It would be nice if he had worn a blindfold, Hakyeon muses, and just get lost in the sensation of being watched, being touched, being wanted. He doesn't need to see to know that gazes are burning into him, hungry and lust-filled, locked on the movement of his body, watching every line and sinew and turn. Bodies come up against him, hard and soft, seeing how near they can get to the flame without being burned. Hands get close; some get too close. Hakyeon doesn't care. He lets them roam over his body. 

Someone comes up behind him, body thick and frame wide. The crowd shifts obligingly for him. Hakyeon feels the barest tickle of a beard as the stranger bends down, brash and daring, angling his face down to inhale deeply at the side of Hakyeon's neck as arms slide up Hakyeon's body. Hakyeon yields, open and willing, tilting his head backwards onto the shoulder of the man behind him. He's dizzy, he's fluid, and he lets himself spill onto the stranger, arm lifting back to allow better access. Their thighs are pressed against each other, the man's chest firm and hard against Hakyeon's back. 

Hakyeon grinds backwards experimentally and is rewarded by a hot gasp against his ear. Encouraged, the hands grow bolder, groping large and insistent on his chest, his waist, all under the guise of dancing. When Hakyeon doesn't protest, they start to dip slowly downwards. He knows what the man wants. Involuntarily, he tenses as a protest runs through his body, but he makes himself relax. It's okay, he tells himself, it's okay. He just wants to _feel_...

Two hands grab him firmly by the shoulders and yank him out of the embrace. He blinks startled eyes and spins around to face his attacker, all ready to defend himself --

Only to see Taekwoon.

"What are you doing here?" Hakyeon hisses, fear and adrenaline spiking together with no small amount of shame. Had Taekwoon seen what he was doing...? Taekwoon starts to say something, but it's drowned out by the heavy beats. Hakyeon snatches Taekwoon's arm in frustration. "Not here -- it's too noisy." 

He half-drags him into a small room off the dance floor and rounds in on Taekwoon. "What is it? Did something happen at home?" A horrible thought occurs to him. "Oh God, is it Mimsy?"

Taekwoon shakes his head. "Your friend Wonshik called our home number and told me to make sure you got home safely," he explains. Hakyeon's lips purse at the news. "He said you were taking a walk. I had to use my tracking function to find you." For some reason, there is an unhappy line in the crease of his forehead as he looks around.

"And here I am," he says, aiming for soothing, "taking a walk."

"You are -- " Taekwoon looks simultaneously frustrated and embarrassed, "grinding with strangers."

Hakyeon's ears flame. "How do you even know that word?" he mutters. "Well, you've found me. You can go home now."

"Wonshik was afraid that you might do something stupid -- "

"Wonshik has no business butting into my life," Hakyeon snaps.

Taekwoon continues as though he can't hear him. "Somehow I'm inclined to think he was right."

"What, you can think now? You can have an opinion?" Hakyeon's mouth moves before his brain does, and he regrets it instantly when he sees Taekwoon's expression.

They stare at each other. If Hakyeon didn't know better, he'd say Taekwoon was hurt. He lifts his chin stubbornly and refuses to apologise.

"That's not fair," Taekwoon says softly. "You know I have an advanced AI. I can learn -- "

"Feelings? Emotions?" Hakyeon spits. "You might be able to rationalise it, understand it with your _advanced AI_ , but you'll never understand what it's like!" 

Hakyeon isn't sure why he's so angry. Insulted, of course, that Wonshik could have thought he needed _minding_ , but this goes beyond it. This is --

"This is about me, isn't it?" Taekwoon suggests. "You're angry." He's silent for a while, then ventures, "Is this about what happened the other night? I thought -- "

"What do you know?" Hakyeon bursts out. "Stop pretending to be human! You're just a bot!"

There's real hurt in Taekwoon's expression now. Hakyeon wonders if it mirrors his own anguish -- but more likely he's alone in that, since, obviously, Taekwoon _can't feel_. 

It had just been a kiss. Hakyeon wasn't supposed to have handed his heart over together with it. He wants to hit something. He wants to hurt physically so that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't hurt so much inside. 

"Aren't I your master?" he snaps instead. "You can either stay there at the bar with Hyuk, or you can go home. Those are my orders."

Taekwoon's eyes flash but he doesn't argue. "I'll stay at the bar."

Hakyeon blazes back onto the dance floor, commandeers the first available space, and proceeds to magnetically draw the whole crowd to himself. He dances with abandon, pulling out all the stops, sensual and deadly in his movements. He hands himself out to the crowd, allowing anything, everything. Hungry, like sharks circling prey, they close in on him.

He's aware of Taekwoon's dark form parked rigidly next to Sanghyuk's bar, he can _feel_ the tension and unhappiness radiating off him. He ignores it. He's being childish, but he doesn't care.

Three hours later, when the bar closes, Hakyeon is slumped aross the bar counter, head resting on his arms. The adrenaline high and the alcohol buzz have long worn off, leaving him tired and drained and defenseless against his memories. He wants to pluck them right out of his throbbing head.

"I'll take him home," he hears Taekwoon tell someone. 

"It's not safe for him to be alone." Sanghyuk. "The last time he was so smashed..." The voices get too soft for him to hear and Hakyeon is too groggy to make an effort. Hyuk is probably spilling the beans to his CARE Bot 2.0 and he can't muster the energy to stop him. But Taekwoon is already answering, tone low and angry, and even in his state he can tell it isn't a good thing.

"Come on then." Taekwoon's voice is pitched quiet, directed only at him. Hakyeon is lifted effortlessly into a princess carry, his head tucked against Taekwoon's broad chest. "Let's go home."

Hyuk calls them a cab. Hakyeon spends the ride pressed up against Taekwoon, drifting in and out of sleep. Taekwoon's arm is tight around his shoulders, never letting go of him.

The next thing he knows, he's being laid down carefully on his bed. Fingers work at his shoelaces, removing his shoes and socks, and unbutton a line down his shirt. Hakyeon makes an unhappy noise at being exposed to the suddenly frigid air. Taekwoon's voice soothes him, "It's just for a while."

His arms are slipped out of his shirt and a warm, wet cloth is dragged over his chest and arms. Hakyeon hums at the sensation. He's swiftly patted dry with a towel and a soft cotton pajama top is put on him. There's a small hesitation at his belt, but deft hands make quick work of his trousers and soon he's cuddling up to his spare pillow, an exhaustion deep in his bones.

"Sleep now." A gentle hand smooths across his forehead, tucking an errant strand of hair behind his ear. "Things will look better in the morning." 

He thinks he feels cool lips press against his forehead, but it's too brief for him to be sure.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a whopper! I deliberated putting it in two separate chapters but decided not to draw it out too much :) 
> 
> Thanks, sypherus-xiii -- your comments got me off my butt and working hard again.
> 
> Sorry for the wait, everyone :) Hope you're still enjoying the fic!

Hakyeon winds up waking up every few hours to bend over the toilet bowl, vomiting all the alcohol out. Each time, Taekwoon is patient and steady beside him, hands patting his back as he heaves, cleaning him off with a wet cloth when he's done, supporting him as he wobbles back to bed. Each time, Hakyeon has to be careful not to look directly at Taekwoon. He's too weak, in this state. He won't let himself fall again.

The next morning, he finds himself surrounded by warm sheets, tucked carefully around him. He's alone. There's no sign that Taekwoon was ever there -- if not for the pyjamas he's now wearing and the sour taste he has in his mouth. A sudden pain shoots through his head and he claps his hand to it. The curtains, thankfully, are drawn, so his eyes can take the time to adjust to the morning light. 

On the table beside his bed is a thermos flask with a small note affixed to it. _Drink this,_ the writing on the paper orders. 

"Taekwoon," he murmurs, recognising the handwriting. Hakyeon unscrews the cap on the flask and breathes in the steam rising from it. It's ginger tea, hot and comforting. It seems to chase away his headache, or at least make it more manageable to look around without his head protesting about being attached to his body.

There are sounds coming from the kitchen, so Hakyeon wraps his sleeping robe more tightly around him before he shuffles out in his bedroom slippers. He hesitates at his bedroom door, then braces himself and pushes it open. Time to face the music. 

Taekwoon is there behind the kitchen counter, preparing something as usual. Chicken soup, Hakyeon identifies. The clock tells him it's already pushing eleven. Taekwoon's back stiffens as Hakyeon approaches, but he doesn't say anything. He momentarily entertains the thought of pretending last night never happened, then decides he isn't that much of a coward.

"Er. Sorry about last night," he says, coming to a standstill behind the kitchen island. "I tend to get maudlin when I drink." 

It's an excuse, a flimsy one, but he doesn't want things to be awkward. He's decided to keep things clearly separate in his head: Taekwoon is a CARE Bot, a good one, but definitely not human. He has to repeat the phrase to himself several times before his brain gets it.

"I need to talk to you about something."

A feeling of dread goes down Hakyeon's spine, but he forces himself to sound casual in his reply. "What's it about?"

Taekwoon switches off the fire on the stove and covers the simmmering pot. When he turns, his expression is tense, more tense than Hakyeon has ever seen him. Is he going to talk about what Hyuk told him? What had Hyuk told him?

But it turns out to be something else entirely.

"Last night, you kept saying I don't know what it's like to feel." Taekwoon takes a deep breath that he doesn't need, but it seems to steady him. "On one level it's true. I'm made out of a bunch of electrical wires and parts. Everything I see, experience, and how I make sense of it -- it's filtered through my programming. But these feelings -- " Taekwoon looks agitated. "I can't explain these sensations. They're not located in any part of my brain, and there's just no label to explain what I... feel when I see you."

Hakyeon swallows. "How do you feel, when you see me?" It's a whisper.

"Like everything's going too fast, or too slow," Taekwoon answers readily. "Like your smile and your voice can light up the entire room, even though logically I know that the brightness of the room is undetermined by your physical presence. My sight is drawn to you whenever you're around. Even when you're not, I find my thoughts returning to you again and again. I wait for you to come back, every day. Not just to feed you, but because I honestly want to see you. From the moment you step out of the house in the morning to the time you return. And in the mornings -- you may think I kiss you good-bye as some sort of duty or ritual, but the truth is I just want an excuse to feel you under my lips."

It's so raw. Taekwoon is the one baring his heart, but Hakyeon is the one with face burning red and heart pounding at his honesty. Like he has nothing to hide. Like he isn't ashamed of how he feels. 

He forces himself to quash the burgeoning hope in his heart. "You're programmed to love me." It tastes like ashes in his mouth. 

Taekwoon shakes his head. "I'm programmed to _care for you_. To look out for your needs and meet them. There's nothing in my programming to force me to... have feelings for you."

"Maybe you sensed that I needed someone to love, then," Hakyeon retorts, chest constricting. "Maybe your AI _made_ you develop feelings for me."

Taekwoon opens his mouth but for once, nothing comes out. His expression is troubled. He stares at Hakyeon with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry," Hakyeon blurts, feeling like an utter heel. "I shouldn't have said that." He has no right to make Taekwoon bear the brunt of his insecurities. He has no right to tell Taekwoon he has no free will to make his own choices or make him feel like any less of a person.

"It's okay." But Taekwoon's face doesn't lose that frozen expression. Hakyeon hates himself for inflicting it on him. He wants to do something to comfort Taekwoon, but he doesn't dare to touch him. He can't get too close. 

He blurts the first thing that comes to his mind. "Look, I know how we can fix this. We'll just go back to the start. We'll pretend none of this happened. Ctrl+Z, undo, reset."

"Pretend I never loved you?" Taekwoon raises wounded eyes to him.

Hakyeon's breath catches. Despite knowing that Taekwoon _has_ to love him, that he has no say in this matter. God, he hates himself. That a few heartfelt words can bring him to his knees, just like they had with -- Yongguk. He grits his teeth. "Yes. We'll do that."

"And what if I can't stop?"

"We'll just have to pretend." His heart is frantic, desperate now. He needs Taekwoon to agree. He needs him to stop talking to him like he means what he says.

"As you wish." Taekwoon's voice is quiet.

It works, somewhat. They fall back into routine, just that Taekwoon is more carefully stilted and distant than he used to be, and Hakyeon no longer trusts himself to be in overly close proximity to Taekwoon.

It's torture. It was better when he hadn't known, hadn't thought of it as a possibility. Now that he's forcing himself to keep his distance, he realises how much Taekwoon has been making his way into his life... his heart. It's like working through a break-up -- except there isn't anything to break up, because they'd barely started.

There are times he catches Taekwoon staring at him, unexpected heat in his eyes, and he stares helplessly back, pinned in his gaze and almost -- almost -- believing it's real. Hakyeon always makes an excuse to leave the room then.

He can't stay. Not when he might forget, again, that Taekwoon is just a robot.

~*~

Wonshik comes over for dinner one Saturday with Hongbin in tow. Hakyeon greets them at the door, with Taekwoon standing a polite distance behind him.

"We brought side dishes," Hongbin says cheerfully, holding them up. "Kimchi, cucumber, anchovies, and that black fungus you like."

Wonshik is regarding Taekwoon with undisguised curiosity. "And this would be..."

"Taekwoon," Hakyeon says absently, reaching over to take the gifts. "I mean -- my CARE Bot 2.0." Behind him, Taekwoon jerks, an almost involuntary movement.

"Oh," Wonshik says, face clearing in understanding. "And here I was thinking you'd finally found someone else." Hakyeon tenses despite himself. 

Hongbin thwaps the back of Wonshik's head. "Stop embarrassing us all. Are you making a career of putting your foot in your mouth?" Wonshik clutches his head in pain but has the courtesy to look slightly abashed.

"Why am I still friends with you?" Hakyeon mutters half-heartedly. "Come on in."

As Taekwoon starts to lead the guests in, Wonshik stops and murmurs to Hakyeon, "He's totally your type, though." Though his words are teasing, his eyes are expectantly fixed on him. Hakyeon swallows and pushes him towards the dining table.

Dinner is incredible. Taekwoon has outdone himself, preparing a liberal feast for the guests. He brings out the dishes one by one to Wonshik and Hongbin's gasps of awe, then excuses himself softly. Hakyeon watches him go. There was a time when Taekwoon would sit and watch him eat, even if he never ate anything himself. It hasn't happened in a long while.

"This is amazing," Hongbin says, stuffing rice into his mouth and then moving his chopsticks busily to pick up more of the scallion pancake. He nudges Wonshik, who's sitting at his side. "Maybe we should consider getting a bot of our own."

Wonshik looks highly affronted. "I can cook just fine!"

"Ah, but this is in a league of its own. He can win competitions with this kind of food. He can set up a _five star Michelin restaurant_ with this kind of food. That kimchi stew is one step away from _world domination_."

Wonshik scowls at the ginseng chicken like it has personally offended him. "Hey," he says suddenly, looking at Hakyeon. "It's all your favourite food."

Hakyeon freezes. "Er, yeah. It's one of the things he likes to do."

"Learn the kind of food you like and cook it." Wonshik's eyes are sharp. He adds, "That's one of the features of a good self-developing AI, isn't it?"

Hakyeon's hand trembles as he reaches for his tea cup. Wonshik doesn't miss it. 

"What's going on, Hakyeon?"

Next to Wonshik, Hongbin stiffens, abruptly realising that the atmosphere has changed. He swallows his mouthful and pushes his chair back, saying, "I'll just -- nip over to the bathroom for a while. Must have been something I ate." He practically runs out of the dining room.

Hakyeon studiously doesn't meet Wonshik's eyes. His best friend reaches out to grasp his hand. "Tell me. What's happened?"

The best he can do is obfuscation, because even he can't face it head on. "You know, in your line of work, do you use robots a lot?"

Understanding lights in Wonshik's eyes. "We do. They do most of the things we can't, because they're built to be much more resistant to things like heat or extreme cold, whereas we aren't."

"And -- have you interacted with them much?"

"They mostly keep to themselves. Since they don't really need things like a lunch break. And when we go out to dinner with the other engineers afterwards, they usually opt to go into hibernation mode early. Hakyeon," he cuts in abruptly, "is this about Taekwoon?"

The helplessness on Hakyeon's face is all he needs. 

"Are you falling for him?"

Hakyeon whispers, "He says he loves me." Which is not directly answering the question, but the other doesn't notice.

"Hakyeon-ah," Wonshik tries, as gently he can. "Taekwoon is a robot. He _can't_ have feelings. It's just not possible."

Hakyeon knows this, of course. But it doesn't stop the fact that his heart is breaking.

~*~

Hongbin bumps into Hakyeon's bot on the way back from the bathroom.

"Ah -- Taekwoon!" Hongbin greets, remembering the name Hakyeon gave him. "Is it safe to go back now?"

There's an oddly removed expression on Taekwoon's face. "Yes. They seem to be done talking."

He peers around the corner to see Wonshik and Hakyeon wrapped up in each other's embrace. "Not again," he groans, spinning around again. "They always do this, you know? Something about having known each other since young." 

He gives an awkward laugh, but Taekwoon is stiff. 

An entirely ludicrous thought crosses Hongbin's mind. He hesitates, then asks, "Are you -- are you _jealous_?" 

"He doesn't let me do this for him," Taekwoon says softly, eyes still fixed on the dining table.

"He doesn't let a lot of people do this for him," Hongbin says honestly. "Only Wonshik." Taekwoon's eyes flash and Hongbin backs up hurriedly. "Chill, dude -- what they have is entirely platonic. Or I would have gotten on Wonshik's case for it long ago."

Taekwoon crosses his arms and doesn't answer.

Hongbin stares at him, at a loss. How do you deal with a jealous robot? "Hakyeon -- Hakyeon is special," he tries. "He's been through a tough period -- "

"I know," Taekwoon says unexpectedly.

Flabbergasted, he asks, "He -- told you?"

"Sanghyuk told me." Taekwoon blows out an irritated breath. "Hakyeon doesn't tell me things like these." 

"Hakyeon -- " Hongbin stops. "He doesn't share things like this easily. The only person he really trusts is Wonshik. And he's just come from a very bad break-up. I'm sure you can understand that he doesn't want to go through that again so soon."

"But I would never betray him. I love him." Taekwoon's eyes are earnest.

Hongbin sighs. Of all the things he expected to spend his Saturday evening doing, counselling Hakyeon's bot certainly wasn't on the list. "Taekwoon, I'm sure you think you love him -- "

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Taekwoon demands, frustrated. "I know how I feel about him."

Hongbin laughs, a choked sound. "If you've been telling Hakyeon things like this, it's no wonder he doesn't dare to trust himself with you." 

"I -- "

"Hakyeon loses his heart really easily," he says bluntly. "He feels too much. There are people who can share their bodies or their emotions without losing themselves, but Hakyeon isn't one of them." He pauses. "He's afraid he'll lose his heart to you."

"Would that be so bad?" Taekwoon whispers. "I can take care of him for life."

"It would be, since he can never know for sure that you love him." He raises a stalling hand and Taekwoon falls silent, whatever arguments he was about to make fading away. "Hear me out. I'm in no place to tell you whether your feelings are true or not. But Hakyeon thinks of himself as so utterly unlovable that the only way someone can be with him is if they're obligated to."

Taekwoon shuts his eyes. Hongbin isn't sure if he's signalling that he's tired of listening or busy processing what he's been told, but he presses on anyway. There are things that need to be said, for Hakyeon's sake.

"I'm sure you can see that you being a robot -- someone he's bought to be with him, further someone who's been made according to his specifications -- it just muddies this up even more. He doesn't trust himself with you. He's only going to feel that he's forcing you into something you don't want. No matter how much you might want it." 

What a mess. Hongbin's head hurts. Taekwoon's expression doesn't change, but the droop of his shoulders tells Hongbin that he got to him. How did he end up here playing the bad guy?

Taekwoon asks, "What should I do, then?"

~*~

It's dark when Hakyeon returns from work. Which is odd, because Taekwoon always has the light on and dinner waiting for him when he gets back.

"Taekwoon?" he calls, putting his briefcase on the floor and loosening his tie. "Are you in the bathroom?"

But the bathroom light is switched off. Nothing's on, in fact. Hakyeon would have suspected a black-out, except that the lights come on easily with the flick of the switch... revealing the breakfast dishes still sitting unwashed in the sink.

Now that's really odd. Taekwoon has never gone out for so long before. If anything, his urge to make sure Hakyeon was watered and fed overrode any other tendencies he might have had.

"Taekwoon?" The door to Taekwoon's room is closed. Hakyeon pushes it open. There's a dark figure slumped by the side of the bed, slightly bent and unmoving. "There you are -- "

But he's unresponsive, parked in the corner like he's forgotten how to move.

And Hakyeon screams.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to mscharlottebell, whose squee-filled comments gave me the last boost I needed to finish it :)
> 
> To date, this remains the longest story that I've written. It was a challenge plotting it out and making sure it was coherent and made sense, but I'm glad at how it turned out! <3
> 
> Thank you so much to all my readers and especially those who took the time to leave a comment to let me know how much you liked it. You were a huge reason why this monster of a fic was finished! 
> 
> And if you're interested in more, I'm primarily on [Livejournal](http://slashedsilver.livejournal.com) and [Twitter](http://twitter.com/slashedsilver) so let's meet there! Reviews are treasured and loved. ♥

It takes two hours for the mechanic to come. Two hours spent terrified, staring at Taekwoon's closed lids and immobile body, frozen mid-movement. Two hours wondering what could have happened.

When the doorbell finally rings, Hakyeon flings the front door open and pounces on the tall, slim man at his doorstep. The man is dressed in a white medical coat with a stethoscope around his neck, holding up a set of identification papers to Hakyeon.

"Good evening. I'm here for a CARE Bot 2.0 -- "

"Mechanic-ssi!" Hayeon seizes his arm and tries to drag him into the house. "This way please!"

"My name is Sungyeol," the mechanic says drily, dusting Hakyeon's grip off his arm. Hakyeon gets the feeling he's being admonished for his lack of manners, but he doesn't have time for all these pleasantries. However, Sungyeol apparently does. He tips his head pointedly at Hakyeon. "And you are?"

"Cha Hakyeon," he snaps impatiently, "you know this, I was the one who made the report -- "

"Mr Cha. First, I need you to calm down." It's his tone of voice that finally gets to Hakyeon. Not the embarrassment at having practically manhandled a guest, not the fact that his fear is so sharp it's taking over things like basic manners and his own sensibilities. 

He nods miserably and tries to quash the wildly hammering instinct to have the mechanic look at Taekwoon _now, immediately_.

Sungyeol squints at him critically, then hums in approval. "Good. Now I need you to remember that bots are not like humans. When something goes wrong, it's either a system or a mechanical error. Hurrying will not help matters; it will only make them worse." 

Satisfied that Hakyeon is properly chastised, the mechanic unfolds his glasses and sets them on his nose. "Now. Where's your bot?"

Hakyeon putters about anxiously as he examines Taekwoon. Sungyeol has to open up the back of the robot's head to hook up his portable computer to the CPU inside the robot. 

He's reminded with a violent jolt how different Taekwoon is. Taekwoon will never be hurt by illness or disease, though a virus or bug can take down his entire system. He will never physically age or die. He will never feel pain. He will never _feel_ , like Hakyeon does sometimes, as though his heart might pound out of his chest with the force of his emotions, feet cold and palms sweaty, as though there isn't enough air in the room when they're together -- 

The mechanic says something he doesn't register. Hakyeon jerks himself into awareness and has to ask him to repeat himself.

"What exactly have you been doing with your bot?" Sungyeol says sternly.

"I -- I'm not sure," he stammers, thrown by Sungyeol's sudden fierceness. His mind races. What could he have done to break Taekwoon like this? "Please -- what's happened to him?"

Sungyeol's expression is carefully blank. "This bot tried to do a reboot on its entire _system_."

"What?" Hakyeon chokes. "What does that mean?"

"Essentially, it tried to reset itself to its original state, wiping out every trace of learning it has ever done with you." He takes in Hakyeon's stricken expression. "That would wiped out, as well, any memories it has made with you in the past few months."

 _God._ Almost afraid to ask, Hakyeon whispers, "Is he going to be okay? Can he -- can it be fixed?"

"Thankfully we have fail-safes in place so that the bots don't go about resetting themselves whenever they feel like it. It's not good for business. So all an attempted reboot does is immobilise them until we have a chance to see what's going on. Which is why," Sungyeol pushes his glasses up his nose and looks at Hakyeon archly, "I need to verify what's been going on with your bot, before I reactivate it." 

Somehow, the blandness on the mechanic's face is more accusatory than ever. Hakyeon swallows.

Sungyeol whips out a clipboard and a pen. "In the past couple of weeks, have you expressed, in any way, displeasure or dissatisfaction with your robot's service to you?"

"I -- " _Told him he couldn't possibly love me._

"Well?"

"Mister, isn't it true that robots can't develop feelings?" Hakyeon says in a rush. "Taekwoon -- this robot kept saying that he... loved me."

"Where did you hear that from?" 

"My -- my friend. He's an engineer; he works with robots in his line of work -- "

Sungyeol snorts rudely. "Engineers! You've been listening to them? You haven't asked the mechanics who _build_ and _maintain_ these bots?" He waves his clipboard in agitation. "All engineers are good at is the theory. They _believe_ it's impossible for a robot to develop feelings, personalities and preferences, so they conveniently explain it away. How can a bundle of metal and wire feel what flesh and blood can, they ask? It's impossible!"

"But _how_ is it possible?" Hakyeon wrings his hands together in anguish.

"Mr Cha, what you have with you is a rare specimen, a robot who has developed his own feelings for you. The AI we developed -- we hoped, of course, that the CARE Bot would eventually be able to imitate life, to be a lifelong companion to the lonely or hurting or ill. We never dared to imagine we would be able to succeed to such an extent." Sungyeol watches Hakyeon intently. "The AI-7 is a self-developing intelligence system. The bot starts from a basic level of programmed intelligence, but then it learns from experiences. It learns emotions. It learns from its master, mostly. But to develop feelings of affection for someone -- this is complex and rare, though not unheard of."

Hakyeon hardly dares to believe what he's hearing. "So the feelings he's experiencing -- " 

There's a slightly wistful expression on Sungyeol's face. "It's true that these aren't feelings the way humans understand or experience them, as a chemical reaction made known through a physiological change. What bots experience is relative to their own systems -- an electrical reaction that produces a correponding chemical and physiological change. It doesn't mean that what bots feel is anything less than what humans feel. They're just created differently. But the situations that give rise to these feelings -- the experiences that trigger them -- these are just as real for robots as for humans." 

Sungyeol turns to where Taekwoon is still frozen motionless. Hakyeon follows his gaze but he can barely dare to look at Taekwoon. There's too much in his chest. He's terrified he might bubble over with fear and hope and guilt, so much guilt. It's hard to breathe.

"I can see why he would have tried the reboot," Sungyeol says softly, almost to himself. "He must have thought there was something wrong with him."

Hakyeon's voice is hushed. "He'll be okay, right? You'll be able to fix him?"

Sungyeol dusts his hands off and picks up his console. "Yes. It is easily done. Now that we've established that the decision to reboot wasn't trigger by neglect or deliberate abuse, I'll go ahead to repair him. I just need to reset some of his processes and he'll be back." Sungyeol quirks his lips upwards in a semblance of a smile. "It'll be like he never left."

"Thank you, Sungyeol-ssi," Hakyeon breathes reverently. A sudden thought strikes him. "But -- how did you know so much about him?"

Sungyeol smiles wider, an oddly mechanical sight. "Personal experience."

~*~

Taekwoon's eyes flutter slowly open. Hakyeon watches as he blinks, looking around, before finally focusing on his face. They sharpen in recognition. "Hakyeon," he greets, as though he's just been waiting for him to come home on any other normal evening. But it's not any other evening; it's now past midnight and Hakyeon is pissed.

"What the hell." His voice is strangled. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

Taekwoon looks instantly contrite. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise -- "

Hakyeon punches his bot in the shoulder. Taekwoon doesn't even wince. "A reboot? Did you want to forget me so much?" Involuntarily, his voice breaks on the sentence.

"No!" Without thinking, Taekwoon reaches out and grasps his shoulders earnestly. "If it were just up to me, I would never want to forget you. No matter what happened."

"So what was all this about then?" Hakyeon demands. "Were you tired of me? Were you hoping I would return you?" He knows, he thinks he does, but he needs to hear this from Taekwoon.

"I thought you would be happier. If you could have gotten the original Taekwoon back." He meets Hakyeon's eyes unflinchingly. "You were so upset that I had developed feelings of love for you. I thought it would have been easier on you if I no longer experienced such emotions."

"And what if you had fallen in love with me again?"

"Then I would have reset myself again," Taekwoon says simply, "as many times as it takes to keep you happy." An unexpected tear falls from Hakyeon's eyes. Taekwoon catches it tenderly with his finger and tips Hakyeon's chin up gently. "Hakyeon, I don't blame you, so please stop blaming yourself. It was a decision I made myself. I just wanted you to be happy."

Hakyeon brushes his tears away roughly. "Without even asking me? How could you pull something like that? What would I have done if Sungyeol couldn't fix you?"

"But I'm not -- " Uncharacteristically, Taekwoon trips over his words. He stops and tries again. "If I was broken, you could have just requested for a replacement."

Hakyeon grabs Taekwoon hard because he is _so, so stupid_. " _You are not replaceable,_ " he says fiercely. "Don't you ever imply that to me again." He glares at him until Taekwoon nods at him in acknowledgement, then he flings himself at him.

Taekwoon raises startled hands to his shoulders. "Hakyeon -- "

"I was so worried, you idiot." His voice is muffled, buried in Taekwoon's chest. "Don't you dare do this to me again."

Softly, Taekwoon's fingers run through his hair. "I won't. I promise. I won't ever leave you again."

"Could you just -- hold me for a while?" 

Strong arms come up around him and grip him securely. "Of course."

The best thing about having a bot is that he doesn't complain when wet tears soak the front of his shirt, or when Hakyeon's hands grip him too hard. When Hakyeon's sobs finally subside and he's about to collapse from exhaustion, it's Taekwoon who tucks him back into bed.

~*~

At night, Hakyeon dreams of robots with soft smiles and affection and desire in their eyes. He dreams of them being scrapped down, torn apart, as unforgiving machines undo the work they have done, turning them back into shreds of metal. He watches as the light in the eyes dulls, the awareness and consciousness slowly fading away.

And then the machines turn and come for Hakyeon. They want to scrap him down too, tear him apart from limb to limb, a fitting retribution for what he's done. He screams and screams and can't stop screaming.

Abruptly, there's a hand that settles on his arm, trying to steady him. 

"No!" Caught in the nightmare, he flails out and punches the owner of the hand. The other person gives a small sound of surprise.

"Hakyeon! Wake up, you're having a nightmare." He blinks into consciousness and becomes aware that Taekwoon is in his room, and he's clutching the other's arm. He forces himself to release his death grip. 

"Taekwoon," he gasps, trying to catch his breath. His face is wet, he realises. He runs a rough hand over it, scrubbing it quickly. 

Taekwoon fidgets uncomfortably. "I know you said I shouldn't just walk in here when you're sleeping, but you were crying, and -- "

"It's okay," he whispers. "You can stay."

There's a small hesitation, then Taekwoon sinks down onto the floor beside the bed. "Sleep now," he murmurs, smoothing Hakyeon's fringe to the side of his forehead. "I'll be here."

"Do you -- don't you want to sit somewhere more comfortable?" Hakyeon tentatively pats the space on the bed beside him.

"No. I am fine sitting on the floor." 

Hakyeon senses his reluctance. "It's okay, I don't mind. I'd feel a lot better knowing you were warm."

"I don't get cold," Taekwoon protests, but he looks at Hakyeon and sighs. "All right." He clambers onto the bed beside him. Hakyeon pulls up the covers for him and Taekwoon gets in, lying on the side facing him. 

"Much better," Hakyeon says, pleased.

"Will you sleep now, then?" 

"Yes, I think I shall."

Taekwoon watches him until he falls asleep. 

The next day when he opens his eyes again, Taekwoon is still there, eyes fixed unblinkingly on him. 

Hakyeon's mouth breaks into a soft grin. "Are you watching me sleep?" he asks, voice rough. 

Taekwoon flushes in embarrassment. "My apologies; I should be preparing breakfast." He tries to get up, but Hakyeon grabs his hand and laces his fingers through Taekwoon's.

"No." His voice is low and full of entreaty. "Please stay."

~*~

They say when you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up.

It takes learning, but Taekwoon is patient, more patient than he deserves. And Hakyeon unfolds.

~*~

"What the hell?" Hongbin blurts. "I never told your bot he should _reset_ himself!"

"What did you tell him then?" Hakyeon demands. They're sitting together at a cafe near his workplace. Hongbin's work as an art school model gives him a lot more flexibility than Hakyeon nine-to-five job does, so when he dropped Hongbin a message asking to meet, the other had readily agreed to meet Hakyeon near his place of work.

Hongbin is sputtering in disbelief. "I just told him what I thought about the whole thing and how you might be feeling -- and don't look at me like that, I _know_ you Cha Hakyeon. You would have beat yourself up with guilt that you could never know if your bot was doing this of his own free will -- "

"And did you give him any... friendly advice after that?" 

Hongbin holds both hands in front of him in surrender. "Come on, Hakyeon, you know I wouldn't do anything like that! What do you take me for? All I told him was that he had to figure it out for himself. I guess the solution he picked wasn't pleasing to you."

Hakyeon sighs. He takes a sip of his tea and does not reply. 

Hongbin, sensing that Hakyeon is no longer about to throw himself at him at the slightest provocation, relaxes enough to settle back in his chair a little more. "So," he says after a beat. "Have you finally gone over to the dark side?" He gives him a side-eye.

Hakyeon turns red. "What are you talking about?"

"You know... are you two finally making up for lost time?" Hongbin waggles his eyebrows meaningfully.

"Wait, you approve of this -- inter-species relationship?"

Hongbin looks at him reprovingly. "Taekwoon is not an alien from outer space."

"He might as well be, the way Wonshik goes on about him," Hakyeon mutters.

His friend snorts. "You know as well as I do that Wonshik has a tendency to get... overprotective... when it comes to you. He just wants what he thinks is best for you. And he's not the most creative or imaginative guy -- he's an engineer, for goodness' sake! It makes sense that his world would be more... black and white." He takes a spear of the cake and waves it in front of Hakyeon for emphasis. "Robot: Not human. Hakyeon: Fragile, handle with care."

"I have a weak physical constitution," Hakyeon says, offended. "It's not like it's a terminal illness."

"You were sick throughout your shared childhood," Hongbin points out, popping the cake into his mouth. "You can't fault him for remembering you as always sick in bed with fever and chills and frequent exhaustion. You practically developed his mother hen complex. And then you worried him with all that alcohol you were taking after you broke up with Yongguk -- "

Yongguk. There's a jolt in his stomach when Hakyeon hears the name, but it's not the bitter, rancid feeling of wanting to throw up. It feels somehow far away, muted by a blanket of Taekwoon.

Hongbin is eyeing him askance. "I shouldn't have mentioned -- You're not going to flip out on me, are you? Should I patch an emergency call through to your bot?"

"No," Hakyeon speaks up. "It's fine."

And it really was.

~*~

They're spring cleaning together for the new year when Hakyeon notices that Taekwoon keeps stopping to look over at him.

"What?" Hakyeon laughs. "Stop staring at me like that."

"Stop _reaching_ up like that," Takwoon growls in frustration, tugging Hakyeon's shirt down to meet his jeans. 

Hakyeon's eyes light up with interest. "Oh? Can't stand me flashing you this little bit of skin?" He stretches up slowly, deliberately, inching the feather duster in his hand towards the top of the bookshelf. The sudden heat in Taekwoon's expression leaves his mouth dry. "I guess not, then." 

Taekwoon turns away disgruntedly and continues sorting out the books on the lower rungs.

Hit by sudden inspiration, Hakyeon tosses his duster aside and tries to seductively slide off the chair he's standing on. "You know, there's something else I'd rather be doing." He slinks over to where Taekwoon is kneeling at the bookshelf, two heavy books in his hand. He snags him around the waist and puts his chin on his shoulder. 

"Your friends Wonshik and Hongbin will be here any minute," Taekwoon warns, but he sounds a bit out of breath. 

"What?" Hakyeon says innocently. "I just wanted to cuddle you."

Taekwoon squirms around to look at him sceptically. Finding nothing but guilelessness on his face, Taekwoon gives in and lets him snuggle against him. He wraps an arm around Hakyeon and shifts so that they're both sitting comfortably together on the floor. "You're such a cuddle bug."

"I don't remember buying you so you could criticise me," Hakyeon informs him.

Taekwoon smirks. "I thought that was why you loved me."

"Stop learning such cheesy things from Woohyun," Hakyeon scolds. "I regret ever inviting him and Sunggyu over."

Taekwoon smiles briefly at the memory. "You felt sorry for them."

"What?" Hakyeon says, pretending to be offended. "Did you just imply that I have _feelings_?"

Taekwoon taps Hakyeon's nose reprovingly. "You would prefer to have everyone believe that you don't care?"

"Unfortunately that didn't work for Yongguk."

Taekwoon's eyes harden. "He did not deserve you."

Hakyeon grins and buries himself more tightly into Taekwoon's side. "Aren't I lucky to have someone who does?" 

Taekwoon smiles in pleased surprise. They sit comfortably together for a while as their breaths sync, Taekwoon's artificial heart beating slowly in time with Hakyeon's own.

"They're happy together, though," Hakyeon says suddenly. "Sunggyu and Woohyun."

Taekwoon hums in agreement. "It took them some time to get there, though. Like we did."

"At least they know they're not the only odd ones around." Hakyeon remembers the look of relief on Sunggyu's face when they'd met him and Woohyun at the door. He saw the way Sunggyu instinctively clutched at Woohyun, and the responding looks of adoration Woohyun gave his owner when he thought he wasn't looking. "Well. Someone deserves to be happy."

"You make happiness sound so elusive."

"I used to think so."

"But we're happy too," Taekwoon argues softly. His fingers play gently at Hakyeon's neck. It sends a warm tingle down his back. 

"Are you?" Hakyeon holds his breath as the other answers.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Taekwoon smiles at him. "Very much so."

Hakyeon links his fingers with Taekwoon's. "So am I."

**Author's Note:**

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